Alba strengthens corporate leadership with new finance, legal and HR talent

Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba) has appointed three executives across finance, legal and organisational development, strengthening its leadership capabilities as the company prepares for its next phase of growth.

Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), the world's largest aluminium smelter on one site, has strengthened its leadership team with three strategic appointments spanning finance, legal affairs and organisation development.

The company has appointed Layla Al Qassab as Director of Finance, effective September 1, 2026; Taimur Tufail as Manager Legal, effective August 23, 2026; and Aysha Salem as Manager Organisation Development & HR Analytics, effective September 6, 2026.

Alba said the appointments will further strengthen its leadership capabilities, enhance organisational effectiveness and support sustainable long-term growth.

Three appointments across key functions

The new appointments bring different areas of specialist experience into Alba's leadership structure, covering financial management and business transformation, corporate and regulatory law, and workforce and organisational development.

Commenting on the appointments, Alba CEO Ali Al Baqali said, “Layla, Taimur and Aysha bring significant expertise and leadership experience in their respective fields.”

Al Baqali said their appointments reflect Alba's commitment to attracting high-calibre talent to drive performance, strengthen capabilities and support the company's next phase of growth.

“We are pleased to welcome them and look forward to their contributions as we continue building a more agile, resilient and future-focused organisation,” he added.

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Al Qassab brings more than two decades of finance experience

Layla Al Qassab joins Alba as Director of Finance with more than 20 years of experience in finance, strategy and business transformation.

Before joining Alba, she served as Chief Financial Officer of The Benefit Company, where she led strategic initiatives across financial management, business transformation and corporate development.

Her previous experience includes senior roles at BNP Paribas Middle East and PwC. She has also served on the boards of Sinnad WLL and Bahrain Fintech Bay WLL, along with advisory boards in the fintech and education sectors.

Al Qassab is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and holds a First-Class Honours Bachelor's degree in Accounting from Cardiff University.

Her professional development includes the Oxford Senior Leadership Executive Programme at Saïd Business School, as well as executive programmes in strategy and leadership.

Tufail adds M&A and regulatory expertise

Taimur Tufail takes up the role of Manager Legal, bringing more than 10 years of legal advisory experience across mergers and acquisitions, corporate transactions and regulatory matters in the GCC and Pakistan.

Before joining Alba, Tufail worked at Al Tamimi & Company, where he advised financial institutions, telecommunications groups, investment firms and listed entities on strategic transactions and corporate matters.

He is qualified as a Barrister in England and Wales and was recognised by IFLR1000 as a Rising Star for Corporate and M&A in the Kingdom of Bahrain in 2025.

His background adds specialist experience in corporate transactions and regulatory matters to Alba's leadership team.

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Salem brings workforce planning and HR expertise

Aysha Salem joins Alba as Manager Organisation Development & HR Analytics with 10 years of experience in organisational development, workforce planning and talent management.

She most recently served as Senior Workforce Planning Specialist at Bapco Energies, where she worked with leaders on organisational effectiveness, workforce planning, organisation design and performance management.

Salem holds a Bachelor's degree in Human Resources Management from the University of Chichester, UK.

She also holds a CIPD Level 7 Advanced Diploma in HR Development and a CIPD Level 5 Diploma in Human Resources Management.

Together, the three appointments strengthen Alba's expertise across financial management, legal and corporate matters, and organisational and workforce development.

The company said the appointments form part of its efforts to strengthen organisational effectiveness and support its strategic priorities and next phase of growth.

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